The first thing one takes notice about a
person is his/her face. The index value of a face is increased by the smile one
holds. A confident smile is reflected only when one has brilliant whitened
teeth – hope you all agree with this, is t? Not many are gifted and hence, the
rest go in for a Cosmetic Dentistry makeover.
People go for a variety of reasons. Some go
for it just for the sake of looking younger, as it gives a dental facelift,
while others go for it to correct their crooked, overlapping or damaged teeth.
People seek cosmetic dentistry for a variety
of reasons. Some people simply want to look younger and cosmetic dentistry is
like a dental facelift that can quickly reverse the natural aging process of
the teeth. Others, the majority, have had unattractive teeth their whole lives
and have always felt self-conscious because of them. They will rarely smile,
which can often hide a warm side of their personality. Modern dentistry offers
a wide variety of treatment option for people seeking to enhance their smile.
The options range from porcelain veneers to braces! In many cases, a
combination of these techniques is required to deliver best results.
Porcelain
Veneers
Porcelain Laminate Veneers, or simply
"veneers", are custom-made porcelain wafers that the dentist places
over the fronts of the teeth to enhance their appearance and also to repair
damage. Veneers can dramatically change a person's smile and help improve their
self-confidence. In the 1920's and 30's, actors, actresses and other performers
would often go to the extreme measure of having their teeth extracted and
dentures (false teeth) made to improve their smile. Fortunately, this radical
procedure has given way to veneers, a far more conservative approach. Veneers
are what give many Hollywood movie stars that dazzling smile we see on the
silver screen.
Veneers can be used to improve a wide variety
of cosmetic dental problems. They can whiten stained or discolored teeth, close
gaps between teeth, "correct" a crooked smile without the need for
braces, repair chips and imperfections, and create a more attractive or
youthful looking smile. The procedure usually involves removing only a thin
amount of the outermost layer of the tooth, called the enamel. The dentist then
takes molds (impressions) of the mouth. Temporary veneers are then placed for
the patient to wear while the permanent veneers are being made. The procedure
usually takes between one and a half and two hours.
Next, the laboratory carefully crafts the
porcelain into veneers. In about two weeks, the veneers are ready for the
dentist to fasten to the fronts of the teeth. This process improves the teeth's
appearance and strength.
Materials Used
In the
olden days, metals like gold or silver were used for filling. But now in modern
days porcelain or composite is used to give cosmetic value as they closely
resemble the natural teeth.
Treatment Options
There are
a wide variety of options available. These options include teeth whitening,
porcelain veneers, contouring or teeth reshaping, dental implantations, braces,
enamel reshaping, gum lifting, etc.
With so
many options available, you can probably think of visiting your dentist for one
of the treatments or a combination of them to suit your needs and improve your
dental health and aesthetics.
Cosmetic
Dentistry for Missing Teeth
In order to replace the missing teeth, the
bonded-bridge procedure is used. A small amount is taken from both sides of the
missing tooth and then a mold or impression is taken. Then a bonded-bridge is
created in such a way that it can attach both the sides of the teeth from the
back. Among the bonded bridges, two types are available namely metal bonded
bridges and resin bonded bridges. The bonded-bridges made out of metal are
expensive. The resin bonded-bridges are durable and do not come out easily.
You can also get tooth colored fillings or
resin fillings. The chipped front tooth or small cavities can be easily filled
using resin. Resin is a far better option than porcelain veneers in terms of
cost and time, but you need to get your resin filling replaced frequently.
Finally, in order to get your smile back, you can also go for braces and
gum-lifts. Fixing braces does take a lot of time and is also expensive
requiring numerous visits to the orthodontist. Therefore, the bottom line is
you must not worry about your smile. Cosmetic dentistry is here to help you to
regain your good old beautiful smile.
You can also change your
teeth look by another very popular method called teeth whitening. Teeth whitening are of two types, at-home
whitening or in-office whitening. In the case of at-home whitening, carbamine
peroxide is used which is generally between 10 and 20%. The mouth impressions
of a person are taken in order to design the trays. After the trays are fitted,
a small amount of carbamine peroxide gel is placed on the tray and the patient
is asked to wear it while sleeping. The patient is required to wear this gel
anywhere from one to six weeks.
Teeth Whitening
In the case of in-office teeth whitening, 35%
of hydrogen peroxide is used along with a light of high intensity. The process
of teeth whitening is carried out for an hour. The gums of the patient are
protected and properly taken care of. Some individuals prefer a mix of both
at-home and in-office teeth whitening. This is a great strategy and teeth
whitening results are a good 12 to 15 shades.
In order to repair the unattractive teeth
there are three procedures that are hugely popular. The procedures are known as
tooth colored fillings or resin, bonded-bridge and tooth shaping. In the case
of tooth shaping, the dentist removes a small portion of the enamel from the
tooth in order to make the tooth attractive and shapely. This procedure is
mainly used to round off the sharp pointed teeth, shortening the long teeth or
adjusting your smile to the contour of the lower lip.
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